About Me
Building scalable, secure, and high-performing applications
Experienced Software Engineer with expertise in full-stack development, cybersecurity, and DevOps. Proficient in building and automating scalable infrastructure using Docker, Kubernetes, AWS, and Terraform.
Extensive experience implementing CI/CD pipelines with GitHub Actions, ensuring secure and efficient deployments. Passionate about applying DevOps practices to deliver high-performing, reliable applications.
Currently pursuing a Master's in Artificial Intelligence at the University of St. Thomas, with coursework in Cloud Computing and Machine Learning. I hold a Bachelor's in Computer Science, Mathematics, and Physics from Augsburg University.
I've contributed to industry-leading companies including U.S. Bank, Securian Financial, GE Aviation, and Target Corporation. I also founded People's Connection LLC, building accessible web applications for non-profits.
DevOps & Infrastructure
Building and automating scalable infrastructure with Docker, Kubernetes, and Terraform
Team Collaboration
Fosters strong teamwork and knowledge sharing across global teams
CI/CD Automation
Implementing pipelines with GitHub Actions for secure, efficient deployments
Security Focus
Ensuring secure integration and deployment practices across all systems
Experience
My professional journey in software engineering
Founder & Principal Software Engineer
People's Connection LLCFounded a software consultancy focused on building accessible web applications for non-profit organizations.
- •Created and managed the website for VIFG, a non-profit supporting the visually impaired, built with ReactJS, ViteJS, and hosted on AWS
- •Implemented Docker containers to streamline development and production deployments with GitHub Actions CI/CD automation
- •Managed DNS and SSL/TLS certificates through AWS Route 53, ensuring secure and reliable access
- •Configured Nginx as a reverse proxy to optimize traffic flow and enable load balancing for high availability
Systems Engineer
U.S. BankSupported enterprise systems integration and API development for one of the largest banks in the United States.
- •Used Postman to test, validate, and troubleshoot REST APIs, improving application integrations and ensuring data accuracy
- •Collaborated with stakeholders, external vendors, and cross-functional teams to resolve technical issues and improve response times
- •Created and maintained detailed technical documentation, enhancing clarity and efficiency of support processes
Infrastructure Engineer
Securian FinancialAutomated infrastructure provisioning and managed cloud-based applications to improve system performance and reliability.
- •Automated infrastructure provisioning and configuration management using Ansible, improving deployment speed and reliability
- •Utilized AWS services (EC2, S3, RDS) to deploy and manage cloud-based applications, significantly improving system performance
- •Developed and maintained Ansible playbooks for automated server configuration and application deployment on AWS EC2
- •Designed and implemented Java-based microservices using Spring and Spring Boot, ensuring scalability and robustness
- •Automated data processing workflows with Python, reducing manual intervention and improving efficiency by 40%
Cybersecurity Engineer
General Electric AviationStrengthened security posture of critical applications through vulnerability remediation and secure coding practices.
- •Remediated vulnerabilities in Java and legacy applications using AVA/SAST/DAST scans
- •Strengthened JavaScript and React mobile/web applications by implementing secure coding practices
- •Developed a more effective method to manually protect against Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) attacks
- •Collaborated with teams on AWS services (EC2, S3, Lambda) to ensure secure integration and deployment practices
- •Secured API endpoints by implementing OAuth2 and JWT authentication against unauthorized access
- •Designed and integrated RESTful APIs using Swagger/OpenAPI, enhancing cross-functional team collaboration
Software Engineer
Target CorporationArchitected scalable applications and led cross-functional teams in an agile development environment.
- •Architected and supported highly scalable React-driven applications, improving user experience and accessibility
- •Built and sustained Kotlin-based microservices for vital internal systems, achieving enhanced performance and scalability
- •Diagnosed and fixed issues across 30+ code repositories, ensuring robust and efficient codebases
- •Optimized and upgraded over 50 repositories, boosting functionality through strategic code refactoring
- •Led cross-functional and globally dispersed teams in an agile development environment
Software Developer
Graphic Systems LLCDeveloped and maintained e-commerce and inventory management software.
- •Upgraded and maintained shipment/inventory center software including storefront and APIs
- •Optimized inventory management system by 70%
- •Worked with Four51 batch upload integration
- •Processed 10+ projects in Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop
Data Analyst (Space Physics Internship)
Augsburg UniversityAnalyzed space physics data and contributed to published research on Ultra-Low-Frequency Wave Investigations.
- •Edited several IDL programs for further analysis of space events
- •Analyzed terabytes of data for papers published with co-authorship in professional journals
- •Published works on topics including Ultra-Low-Frequency Wave Investigations
- •Maintained detail-oriented quality of work over long periods with large datasets
Education
Academic background and certifications
Master's in Artificial Intelligence
In ProgressFocusing on applied AI, cloud computing, and machine learning.
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science | Mathematics | Physics
Built a strong foundation in computer science fundamentals, mathematical reasoning, and physical sciences.
Certifications
Projects
Showcasing my work and contributions
Vision Inspired Fellowship Group
Accessible website for visually impaired users with donation support and event management.
High-Performance Security Lab PC
Custom-built workstation for GPU-accelerated malware analysis and security research.
Raspberry Pi Network Security (Pi-hole)
Network-wide ad blocker and DNS sinkhole improving security and performance.
Synology NAS with RAID 60
Enterprise-grade network storage with data redundancy and high performance.
Hackintosh Build
Custom macOS High Sierra build achieving full functionality with custom hardware.
PDF to Audiobook Converter
AWS-powered tool converting PDFs to audiobooks using Amazon Polly.
Skills & Technologies
Tools and technologies I work with
Programming Languages
Frameworks & Libraries
Cloud Platforms
DevOps & CI/CD
Databases
Security & Testing
Architecture & Systems
Tools & Platforms
Get In Touch
Have a question or want to work together?
Let's connect
I'm always open to discussing new opportunities, interesting projects, or just having a conversation about technology and innovation.
Location
Maple Grove, Minnesota